


The Roar of Time

by the_lesbian_hercules



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, I'm excited for this, Kate Marsh Lives, Max has powers, all five of them, and Chloe robs a Steelix from David, angst gotta catch em all !, chole doesnt get shot in this one she gets bitten to death, dialga gives max her powers, has this been done before?, im gonna finish writing this!!, im years late to the fandom but I come out with this as my only contribution? yes., in which Victoria's Pokemon are bitches, in which i will attempt to give max's power an explanation, no guns only pokemon battling and pokemon man handling humans, quarantine fanfiction lets go, the whole story lines up with pokemon canon, this mostly follows canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:20:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23920729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_lesbian_hercules/pseuds/the_lesbian_hercules
Summary: Max Caulfield, a normal art student with no intention to become a master, is slowly being pulled deeper into the world of Pokemon. It all started with a dream she had of Dialga, the Roar of Time, her nose bleeding, and a brilliantly blue Vivillion that lead her right back to her past: Chloe Price. With the issues of the "Missing Pokemon and Trainer" posters hanging around Blackwell, Kate Marsh's harassed Pokemon, and Team Prescott's reign over Arcadia Bay, the two girls will have to combine their forces of Pokemon and time travel to come out of this victorious. {Canon Divergence//No guns, only Pokemon battles//Everyone lives}
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price, Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Victoria Chase
Kudos: 13





	1. Max and the Underdogs

**Author's Note:**

> This will be my only contribution to this fandom that has been apart of me for so long now, but I figured that quarantine would be the best time to write this. My original work is heavy with drama and I wanted to take a break from it to write something cute and wholesome. I'm also very attuned with Pokemon though the newest generations (seven and eight) won't be mentioned in this story because I simply don't have the brain capacity to remember all of their Pokedex entries! If anyone here has an issue with Gen 5 (the one that birthed Trubbish, the trash Pokemon) I suggest you brace yourself now because this one has plenty of Gen Fivers to spare! Pokemon White was the first game I ever played, so I remember those little fuckers like the back of my hand! 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy and feel free to comment or whatever :)

Blue flashed just over Maxine's head as a wild storm of a broken reality swirled all around her. The girl could do nothing but float in place and clutch her head. _What the fuck is going on? I have to be dreaming right now, but... this feels so real!_

Light reflected off of the cold, hard steel shining right in Max's eyes, rough blue scales stretched out for miles seemingly one with the unstable reality besides her, and two glowing red eyes looked right into her soul. She was nothing but a speck compared to this gigantic power that pushed against the universe. So why did it seem like it was looking at her?

The redness brightened and shimmered, it was doing something. Max wanted to look away, close her eyes, wake up, she wanted to do something. Anything! This wasn't meant for her mortal eyes to see, but red ones only widened her eyes and looked further inside of her. _What does it want with me?_ The beast unhinged its metallic jaws, the motion made a long screeching howl that stung the human's ears. It made a slow breath. She could hear it happening before it did, it's roar was of millions of voices screaming at once. Was that then? _Is this now?_

Blood sprayed out of her nose and she cried out with the pain of it, but the pressure in her skull seemed to fade. She could move again.

_The Roar of Time!_

Max bolted up from the table, eyes flashing wildly around the classroom. Classroom. She was still in class. It was a dream... She fell asleep. It was a boring class today. Maxine had known it would be from the textbook passage she was supposed to read last night. She didn't read it, but that didn't take away from the facts.   


_What a crazy fucking dream! I wonder what that thing was anyway..._ Lisa rattled on her belt quietly to which Max giggled with relief. _Thank God my Mons are safe!_ As her first Pokemon ever, Lisa was attuned to Max's feelings, it seemed. If the human was restless, so was the Budew. Only a few more minutes until the bell rings... _It shouldn't be long now._

Next to her, Sammy, her Parchirisu, buzzed in his own Pokeball. A second Pokemon on her belt was new for her, but slight weight change was not unwelcomed. He was a gift from Samuel, the kind janitor that nursed the Parchirisu back to health after he found him badly injured. _If I ever find the Trainor that hurt you, Sammy, we'll go get 'em! Well... we're not much of a strong team, but we can try anyway!_  


A small paper ball had flung its way past Max's table and hit Kate Marsh in the head to which the girl covered her face in pain and shame. She glared towards the direction where the offense came from and at the end were two smug blondes and their little pink Pokemon. Victoria's Skitty was named Princess and Taylor's Jigglypuff was named Togo. Max only remembered because the two caused so much trouble every day, along with their Trainers, of course. Victoria's phone rang on the table loudly and she purred at whatever was on the screen, much like Princess did as the girl ran her long nails through the Pokemon's fur. _Speaking of taking down bullies... I'd like to battle Victoria and the Vortex Vultures someday... And win!_  


No one acknowledged the abuse happening right in the middle of class, not even Mr. Jefferson who had been facing their direction the entire time, except for a sassy Smeargle. He strutted around the classroom with his paintbrush tail swinging around in his paw with a certain gait that made it feel as if he was of authority. 

_Well, maybe he is!_ Max imagined the Smeargle bossing around Mark Jefferson in the darkroom, directing him to the various chemicals and processing the photos with him. _Who's to say_ that _doesn't happen?_

Mark Jefferson's Pokemon was a talented, well-rounded artist. His paintings and photographs were hung up around the walls of the classroom almost like a gallery, which wasn't too far off. Both of them were famous in the art world, esteemed geniuses who had come to Blackwell to share their knowledge of art and Pokemon training alike.   


Max had clutched her camera in one hand and Lisa's Pokeball in the other as she watched Jefferson's mouth moving. His words wouldn't sink into her head. She looked towards his Smeargle waltzing around in front of her. She couldn't train a Pokemon half as good as that. _Why am I even here? I can't be like Mr. Jefferson, Victoria, and... anyone else in here! I only want to take pictures because I don't know how to do anything else and I only want Pokemon as friends, not for battle._ She felt her eyes sting at the horrible truth. _God, I’m a loser!_

"Smurrg?" Max blinked her eyes up at the Smeargle who held his tail in his paw accusingly. He squinted his beady little eyes at her and turned towards his Trainer. "Gllle!"

"Good catch, Printer." The handsome teacher stroked his chin with an amused smirk. Above his glasses he gazed thoughtfully at Maxine who could only smile bashfully in return. "Someone wasn't paying attention!"

"S-Sure I was!" Max lied. 

“Really? Tell me then, what is the name of the process that gave birth to the first self-portraits?" 

The question spun around in her head like of eyes of a shaken Spinda. She was supposed to be a photographer, that's how she got to this school anyway! How could someone spend all of their life perfecting their craft and still be daunted by a textbook question? Lisa rattled on her belt as if trying to help out. "Uh... I _did_ know.” 

“You either know this or not, Max!" The man slammed his hand on the table the same moment Printer curled his little fist around his tail in frustration. Together, the Trainer and Pokemon sighed. "Does anyone in here know their stuff?" 

Princess squealed in delight as Victoria clicked her tongue, calling for his attention. "Daguerreotypes! A process that gave portraits a sharp, reflective style kind of like a mirror..." The Skitty in her lap lifted her tiny lips and hissed right at Max, who recoiled from shock. _Who knew such a cute Mon could be so damn mean?_ "Aw, even my Pokemon is a better student than you, Maxine! Sad face..." 

Very good, Victoria." Jefferson nodded, satisfied. Printer on the other hand had let go of his tail and let it rest on the floor, a sign that he was finally at peace with the photography students now that Victoria had saved their asses from his wrath. Mr. Jefferson continued to drone on about the... Daguerreotypes? But Max had long forgotten her humiliation. She was tired now. All she wanted to do was snuggle up with Lisa and Sammy in her dorm after a long day of classes, Pokemon training, and Blackwell drama. _Anytime now..._

As if on cue, the bell rang and Max's classmates seemed to shoot up from their seats in excitement. Mr. Jefferson began to berate them about the Everyday Heroes Contest, Max included, but she had no time to think about that. _My Mons probably want to go out and play now that classes are finished... Don't worry little ones, Momma's got you!_

 _  
_"Smuuurrrgg!" Just as she was heading for the door, a harsh tug on her pant leg stopped her. Printer's scarlet-colored tail-tip swished as he guided Maxine back over towards Mr. Jefferson... and Victoria draped against his desk like a rug. _How fucking obsequious of you! I thought you were the ring leader of the school's popular pack of dogs, but now you fawn like a Marpeep?_ She could only shake her head bitterly. Princess was doing the same thing, her tail spread out behind her coyly. _How do you train a Pokemon like that anyway?_

"Ah, good catch yet again, Printer!" Jefferson stroked his hand on the Smeargle's fur as he hopped up on the desk beside him. "We'd never let one of photography's future stars avoid handing in her picture..."   


”Do I have to?" Max's cheeks grew hot with embarrassment as Lisa chirped in her Pokeball. Could she feel the shame welled deep in her chest? She had hidden the picture from the Pokemon and teacher alike. It wasn't good enough. _No... It's just not good, period!_ "I just don't think it's that big a deal."   
"Maxine... You're a better photographer than you are a liar!" he chuckled. Printer only yawned, bored with the conversation already. "I know it's a drag to be lectured by some old guy, but... You have a gift just like me. The way you partner up with Pokemon to capture the world in their eyes is extraordinary and rare to see. As Trainers, we can not fully earn trust with our Pokemon if we do not try to look in their perspectives, but you do. I need you to keep doing that and trust that the world we share with them is already beautiful, no matter how you frame it."

He turned away now, finished with his speech. Max sighed in relief only after she was out of earshot and into the hallway. _He wouldn't be so keen on motivating me if he saw the picture I took for this contest...  
_

Outside the classroom, students and Pokemon alike were buzzing with energy. Max stood on the wall for a moment trying to ease her anxieties and take the world all in. Juliet's Chatot, Melody, was perched neatly on her shoulder as they squawked together at Zachary, some dumb football jock training much bigger Pokemon than she. Coming out of the science room, Ms. Grant and her Sandshrew, Lab Rat, pushed their way through the crowd. On the other side, Taylor and Courtney had huddled together near the lockers, their Jigglypuff and Roselia smiling along as if they were in on some mean joke.

Max could only manage to grumble. _I need to get out of here already... I'll find someplace quiet to let Lisa and Sammy play for a bit.  
_

The Pokeballs on the photographer's belt sprung alive as her two best friends zapped themselves out to finally comfort her. A smile was spreading on her lips, it was more than pleasing to have the Pokemon's encouraging eyes sparkling up at her despite it all. Did these two even know how much of a loser their Trainer was? Sammy's blue markings shone brightly as he scampered up her shoulder and wrapped his tail around her neck for support. Lisa had squeaked and nudged Max's knee with her bud. She wanted to be carried inside of the bag, Max realized with a chuckle as she complied. Would these two even care if Max was a loser? _I love you too, guys!  
_

“Let's go outside, babies." The two purred happily as she cooed at them. "I don't want you in this dull building any longer." 

Yes, the building was dull but the teachers, students, and Pokemon inside certainly weren't. Max and her tiny team had begun to walk towards the exit passing by many of her fellow Trainers and Pokemon she hardly remembered the names of; stuck up Evan and his green-tailed Smeargle, weird Daniel and his Drowsee, skater-boy Justin and his Emogla, cheerleader Dana and her Togepi, stupid Logan and his Honchkrow, nerdy Brooke and her Beheeyem, and Principal Wells with his Pignite... She hadn't known the nicknames of _everyone's_ Pokemon, but the entirety of Blackwell knew the name of this Pignite: _Mr. Burns! The snitch!_

She walked hurriedly by the pair, both their squinty eyes watching her. Principal Wells was nice enough up front, but the stories she heard of Mr. Burns didn't allow for any trust. One wrong move and that piggish-Pokemon would go waddling right back to his Trainer with the report. _Not that I'm planning to do anything wrong anyway, but I still won't take any chances!_

Warm autumn air swept along the courtyard carrying the eager playfulness of Pokemon and their teenage Trainers. The photographer watched carefully at the strong bonds taking place... Bonds she would never have with her team. Sammy cuddled her face contently as she was reminded why: her Pokemon weren't fighters! She smiled slowly, not sure if this was a good thing or not. Either way, she was just happy to have them by her side.

She brought Lisa and Sammy a patch of grass but frowned. There was a battle going on in the distance. It was hard to ignore, the Pokemon's roaring and the Trainer's desperate cries were discouraging. Sammy wiggled his ears, curious.

"Chi-chi!"  


Max raised a brow, amused. "No way you want to watch a fight go down! Now, who taught you about battling, fluff-butt?"

The Parchirisu seemed to pout. She instantly regretted her words. _Duh! Of course, he knows what a Pokemon battle looks like! He almost died in one!_ "Shit... I'm sorry, Sam."  


Lisa's squinted eyes blinked sympathetically at the girl, but the Budew also had been facing the direction of the battle cries. Did the dainty little plant Pokemon want to see them fighting, too? "I suppose all Pokemon want to battle eventually, huh?" She gave a sad smile at her team's squeaks of agreement. "But I can't let you guys indulge in that stuff. We're not a trained team yet. I'm sorry, maybe some other..." For the second time that day, a brilliant blue flashed before her eyes. "...time?"

Her Pokemon had not reacted to the beautiful marine Vivillion fluttering above them gracefully. Max's eyes sparkled with excitement that neither battling or training Pokemon could bring. _That's a perfect photo right there! The clouds are framing her wings like a freaking painting...I have to get this!_

The Vivillion was a new sight for the photographer's keen eyes and she seemed to know it, the way it gently lifted her pretty wings to float in any direction it wanted, away from Max. Like a will-o-wisp in the forest, the girl would have to chase after it she wanted a blessing, a photo on her polaroid in this case. Max dimly registered to the faint shouting as she was finally able to stand right under the blue bug-Pokemon, adjust the shutter speed and aperture, and shoot.

 _I did it!_ Her fingers buzzed with delight as they reached to take the photo processing from the camera. She flicked her wrist a bit, drying it off. _Maybe now I'll have something to show Jefferson!_

"Back off already, punk!"

The clashing of claws and talons jolted Max out of her artistic bliss. Horror struck her face. The Vivillion lead her very close to the battling happening behind the school building. _Too close!_


	2. Son of Team Prescott!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max finds out what a real Pokémon battle looks like between the son of Team Prescott, his terrifying Pokemon and a rather bold, blue-haired stranger...

Max hid behind the wall of the building, sure that her Pokemon would still also be able to see the battle. The photographer herself had no interest in watching this go down partly because she was not a Pokemon-battle photographer and partly because... 

_That's fucking Nathan Prescott!_

The boy's blond hair shone in the sunlight above but the angelic effect that should've come with it vanished as his eyes darkened with crazed fury. From his side, a Pokemon leap onto the battlefield, it's white fur dashed with striking red markings. A Zangoose! 

Across the field stood a girl with a daunting blue glare and foolhardy smirk. Max's eyes widened slightly. What series of bad choices could've led this stranger into a battle with a Prescott? 

Although Max had left Arcadia Bay for a bigger city with bigger people, she never forgot the terror that Team Prescott inflicted on this small town. It was part of the reason her family left. The team was notorious for breeding the strongest, angriest Pokemon in all of the regions and they abused this power by bullying people into doing whatever they should please... Max bit her tongue, suppressing a habitual gag. It was disgusting when anyone abused Pokemon, but the Prescotts? The karma they've built up over the years was enough to _kill._

"I'm not going to tell you again," Nathan growled through clutched teeth along with the Zangoose who held up their twin claws towards the girl, a threat. "Leave me the _fuck_ alone." 

"As if I would do that now!" She flexed her arm and pointed at him accusingly. Max, baffled, could only shake her head slowly. _This girl seems so convinced that she's just as powerful as Nathan! For her sake, I hope she's right..._ "You and your family are a bunch of conniving assholes and I'm hella ready to take you down!" 

"Leave them out of this, bitch!" He curled up his fist as if he would go over there and hit her, but neither moved. "I'll make you eat those words." 

Max shivered and brought Lisa closer to her stomach. Her weak frame and tender flesh wouldn't protect the little plant Pokemon from anything, but the reflex was only instinctual. Nothing was safe from power like this. 

"Ha, ha! I'll make you eat _me!_ " Nathan's dumbfounded expression only flashed for a few seconds as the girl's hand went to her belt of Pokeballs. "Let's go, Blu!" 

_No way!_

" _Vivillllllion!_ " The marine Vivillion fluttered out of its metal shell-like an ocean wave lapping at the shore. It's compounded eyes seemed to be looking right towards Max as it floated in place waiting for a command. The same ambition that the blue-haired Trainer had seemed to transfer over to the beautiful Pokemon. 

As Max scrambled for the picture she took earlier, Lisa squeaked with concern. "That's..." She looked up from the photograph. "That's the same one!" 

Her childish awe soon evaporated as Nathan's shout tore through the air. "Knock Off!" 

"Stun Spore! Now, Blu!" 

The first turn was dealt and it seemed as if Nathan's Zangoose was faster than the Vivillion. A bumpy green berry fell to the ground, which confused Max for a moment. Was it holding a berry the whole time? She had not seen it in the bug Pokemon's grasp. 

Where... was the berry? 

Nonetheless, "Blu" was now berriless, but still managed to use Stun Spore. Bright yellow static surrounded Zangoose and it slumped forward, stuck in place. Paralyzed. The blue-haired girl smiled wickedly, but her Pokemon's wings had slowed down their fluttering speed immensely. Both Pokemon are hit pretty bad, but Nathan's had all its health anyway! 

"Blu, come back!" The girl reached onto her belt for another Pokeball. "I need you, Bongo!" 

"You trying to set up something on me, punk?" Nathan hissed and pulled his Zangoose back. "Here's something else for you to chew on since that clearly wasn't enough for a dumbass like you! Killa, have your fill!" 

A much fiercer looking Pokemon sprung out onto the field. Its yellow body and long twisting tail alarmed Max. _I had no idea that's what a Charmeleon looked like in its shiny form... Of course this kid would have one, though!_

"Char!" The fire-Pokemon growled and the flame flickering on its tail all but erupted. "Rrraww!" 

_That's an angry baby... I wonder what Nathan does with it to make it so pissed off like that._

"Bongo" had scampered out of it's Pokeball, it's frizzled whiskers bouncing at the Charmelon in front of it. Max wasn't familiar with this one, but it looked strikingly like Glameow, a Pokemon her old best friend used to have... His name was also Bongo. The photographer looked towards the blue-haired girl. That couldn't be Chloe Price! 

Could it?

"Fake Out!" Bongo leap into the air and slammed down onto (what she assumed was the Charmeleon's name) Killa. The fire-type flinched, much to Nathan's obvious dismay. The girl smirked. "Ready for more? Use Body Slam!" 

The blond gritted his teeth. "Flame Charge!" 

Bongo ended up being faster despite their apparent weight differences and bashed right into Killa with its fat shoulder. Holding her breath, Max watched closely for the Charmelon to make a move. Nothing. 

It was paralyzed! 

"What the ever-loving fuck!?" Nathan scraped the sides of his face with his rough nails in a maniacal trance. "This is twice in a row! You're cheating! You're cheating on a mother fucking Prescott!?" 

"How would I be cheating, genius?" The blue-haired girl's chest puffed out proudly, a devious glare in her eyes. "You've just underestimated me... And now it's time to show you how a _real_ Pokemon Trainer battles! Bongo, use Bulldoze!" 

_"Fucking dodge it!"_

But there was no evading this move. The entire ground shook with absolute power as the cat-like Pokemon sunk it's little claws into the earth and released its righteous strength into the earth. Max's eyes widened as the Charmeleon collapsed, hurt, and defeated. Nathan shared her shock with a childish scream as Killa retreated back to its Pokeball. 

"Super effective move, bitch boy!" The girl bit her lip as if trying not to laugh, but she ultimately failed. Her throwing arm flexed and Bongo was back on its belt. "Pokemon battling is definitely easier when you've actually learned how to do it! Sucks for you, doesn't it, princess?" 

"You don't know who the fuck I am or who you're messing around with!" Red flushed Nathan Prescott's features and his knuckles were white as another Pokeball was thrown from his grasp. A large, black Pokemon slithered out, it's dark red eyes sliding around in its skull seemed not to register anything. Max shivered at the poor thing squirming around on the grass. _He is totally abusing this one! It can't even hold itself up!_ "Edgar! Go for the throat!" 

"What are you doing!?" The girl was backed up against a hollow tree by the Pokemon's sickeningly long fangs just inches away from her neck. "Call this ugly brute off of me!" 

"Says you. Seviper is a wonderfully venomous creature, not that you will be able to appreciate it!" Nathan followed the silky, poisonous trail of "Edgar" and made it a point to get as close to the girl's face as possible without touching. "Nobody would ever even miss your punk-ass, would they?" 

"Get the fuck away from me, psycho!" She pushed the Seviper away with more force than Max expected out of her wiry looking body, but it was in vain. The world came to a slow as the coated fangs pierced the stranger's pale skin and infected her veins with a grotesque turquoise color spreading through them. A slow, weak yelp of pain tore from the girl's lips and her life slipped away in the very very instance she did. 

Max could only cry. " _NO!_ " 

  
" _Buuuudew!_ " Lisa squeaked into Max's side. Her tiny eyes flickered in every direction before eventually stopping onto her Trainer and Sammy still clutching tightly to her neck. "D...Dew?" 

"Max, is your Budew okay?" Kate Marsh raised an eyebrow from across the room, concerned. "She looks like she saw a ghost!" 

"Uh... Yeah, she's fine!" Unbeknownst to Kate, Max was panicking to exact same way. Her heart thudded in her chest like thunder, despite her pallor face. "Thanks..." 

"Maxine, you know the rules!" Mark Jefferson with Printer leaning on his shoulder, frowned. "You can have your 'Mons out, but only if they're quiet during class." 

"And well-trained... But I'm sure Maxine can't help it, Mark." Victoria glared her way, Princess baring her teeth for the second time today. "It's not easy to get a Pokemon to listen to you with such a dorky demeanor!" 

"I'm going to have to ask you to let your Budew rest in her Pokeball for today." Mark Jefferson's frown only deepened. "And Victoria, stick to Mr. Jefferson." 

The rest of the class finally settled down and Mr. Jefferson was able to continue his lesson, but for the second time that day his words were blurry in Max's ears. They were back here. After seeing... 

_That girl! She's dead! Nathan fucking Prescott...!_

Max was reminded by Lisa's watering gaze that she not only had to put her away after that shit-show, but she had to pretend that it didn't happen. All three of them. Sammy was frozen on Max's skin, she could only assume he was scared beyond a reaction and she summoned him back to his Pokeball with a gentle nudge. 

Horror. This was shit from one of those horror movies. Pokemon attacking people. Pokemon trained to attack people. It crossed the line of plain old cruel, it was sick, demented, evil... The son of Team Prescott was destined for such things. 

_But that girl was not!_

Nathan and his Seviper were the only things standing between that girl and another day to live. Max looked at the clock on the wall. Yes, it was time for class, but it was also already over for today... Time was reversed? _How am I still in it?_

Was she dreaming? She had to be, but everyone else seemed completely normal. A paper ball was flung into Kate Marsh's face, Taylor and Togo giggled with each other, Victoria's phone buzzed, she purred at it, and now... 

"Smurrrg?" Printer's red-tipped tail pointed at her accusingly. Again. "Glllle!" 

Instantly she looked towards Jefferson, her jaw hanging open waiting for his inevitable statement. 

"Good catch, Printer..." she mouthed. 

"Good catch, Printer!" The handsome teacher stroked his chin. "Someone wasn't paying attention, it seems." 

_Okay. Well, if I'm crazy, I might as well go all the way._ "I was, actually. Daguerreotypes. A process that gave portraits a sharp, reflective style kind of like a mirror..." She blinked up at him, her fingers crossed underneath the table. "Isn't that right?" 

"Oh... Um..." Utter confusion clouded Mark Jefferson's gaze, a look that spread across the faces of the other students. A hard glare seemed to try and set her skin on fire, she glanced over. Victoria and Princess' seething wouldn't take away the euphoria blossoming in the photographer's chest. _Why don't you do something about it, ass-kisser?_ Jefferson kind of smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's correct, Max. For the sake of this lesson though, I will have to actually _ask_ the question! But thank you for being so attentive." 

"No problem..." So, that was that. She was actually back in class. Time was reversed. Her Pokemon had seen it too. _I'm not crazy._ There had been weird things happening sometimes in the vast world of Pokemon and humans living together, so maybe time-traveling wasn't completely out of pocket. Was there a Pokemon able to control time? _None that can on my belt, that's for sure!_ Another thought popped up. "Mr. Jefferson? Can I use the bathroom?" 

The man's usual arrogant smirk was back on his features. "Nice try, Maxine! Leave early for the bathroom and not come back for the small remainder of the speech? Very clever today, are we?" 

"No, not at all!" Why was he being difficult? That girl... She may not even be with Nathan right now. _I could save her! "_ Is it unrealistic to think I _just_ have to use the bathroom?" 

"Well... You've been active in class today. Go ahead." As Max stood up, the stares of students clinging onto her form, she attempted to control her speed. There was no reason to freak everyone else out. "Oh, but Max? Printer is going with you. Just to make sure you return safely!" 

_Goddamnit!_

"Hello, Printer..." she cooed softly to the Smeargle with large furrowed brows. They trotted down the hallway together, her Pokeballs jittering on its belt anxiously. Lisa and Sammy must've known what was up. How were they going to lose the little artist Pokemon? "You can't go into the girl's bathroom with me, you know." 

The Smeargle nodded curtly. He groaned a bit, his beautiful tail drooping on the floor. "What's wrong? You didn't want to escort me, did you?" 

"Smerrrg!" he seemed to agree. 

"Well..." The photographer dug into her bag, ignoring the bits and pieces of dead film and lens cleaners her hands touched. Finally, they brushed along a soft, squishy surface. "How about I give you this fresh Oran berry and you can hang around the hallway until the bell rings?" 

Her heart dropped to her stomach as the Pokemon frowned, clearly not impressed with bribery. Still, he held out a tiny paw and curled it, motioning for her to give him the food. She smiled warmly. "Thanks, Printer! You're the best teacher in the entire school!" 

"Smurg!" He agreed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Printer is only the OG teacher next to Ms. Graham and Lab Rat (her Sandshrew).


	3. No Time to Battle!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Max figures out a way to prevent the blue-haired stranger’s unfortunate fate, her power is tested by a certain blonde and her kitty Pokemon.

Max's legs burned as she cut through the grass and towards the back of the building where Nathan and his victim would no doubt be lurking in a few short minutes. Shivering, she stood behind the tree where the Seviper had... _No, I don't want to think about that. It didn't happen yet!_

Against the hot October sunlight, her eyes adjusted ever so slowly. Maybe the photographer was just crazy, after all. Her nails clawed the tree bark. The beating of her heart was too fast, she was sweating too much; how could this not be real? _I_ did _feel this way about that dream today. Can I even tell the difference between reality anymore? What the fuck is wrong is me...?_

A flash of soft lighting and then a small bump to her knee shook out of her thoughts. Lisa's tiny eyes curved upward, a Budew's version of smiling. Max's face only allowed her to simper back, weakly. "A-Are you... okay, Lisa?" 

"Buuuu", was the Pokemon's simple response. She leaned in closer to Max's leg and offered nothing else. 

_She sounds smarter than I ever could right now. Maybe I should get into that Pokeball, then I wouldn't have to deal with this horrific shit!_ Max shook her head feeling Lisa's short breaths on her jeans. That wasn't true. She'd need her Pokemon now more than ever! On an anxious whim, she summoned Sammy out of his Pokeball and cradled him to her stomach. 

The two small Pokemon stared curiously at their Trainer. 

"G-Guys..." The words came out dry and meek. She coughed, trying again. "We may have to fight. We have to save that girl... It's not fair that she... Um..." 

"Paciiichii!" Sammy twittered, courage sparked in his beady gaze, and Max tittered nervously. His spurred tail tickled her arms with static. _He has the spirit of a warrior somewhere in there... We need it._

Lisa made no motion to respond, only shushed breath of air. _What could she possibly be thinking about all of this?_

"Okay, then... I'll do my best to keep you two out of actual harm's way, but..." Sweat pooled down her chest as Sammy's ears perked up. Footsteps were approaching. She hissed, similar to Victoria's Skitty. " _Hide_!" 

Neither Pokemon retreated to their capsules but instead huddled closer to their shivering Trainer. Lisa hopped into the sling bag and Sammy curled himself around the back of her neck. She couldn't think much about how unsafe her team would be like this because the screwed up face of a blue-haired beauty came storming from the corner of the building. A marine Vivillion hovered at her side. 

"Find Nathan", the girl groused with her fingers tight on her Pokeball belt. For the first time, Maxine was able to admire the misty color of the girl's eyes. It wasn't that same blue of the beast prowling in the photographer's dreams, the Vivillion, or even the sky above. This was serene and charming, like a rainstorm in spring. The girl glanced at her bug-Pokemon. "Thanks, Blu. We're going to kick hella ass, right?" 

"Viiiiiiii!" It fluttered away with mirth. Max's mind shifted with thoughts, putting the puzzle pieces together. Blu didn't find Nathan the first time because Max was able to take a picture of it before it returned to its Trainer. That meant Nathan must've found the girl first.   
_  
I have to guide either Blu or the girl away from here... Nathan can't get to them and they can't get to him. But how?_

"Sammy", Max whispered her nails digging into tree bark. His fur buzzed along her skin. "I need you to try and cuddle the girl with more power... b-but still gently. Please." 

The excited squeaks that sounded from him as he bounced away were almost enough to make her smile. But this was serious. _That girl died. She died right in our faces. A little static shock from Sam is better than death!_

The photographer supposed Sammy would keep the girl busy for a while. Lisa's stumpy legs kicked along the edges of Max's bag. "Don't worry, honey... I have a job for you too, but we must keep vigilant." 

Her job was simply to keep Max calm. The Trainer couldn't stand the thought of Lisa getting hurt. At least Sammy had irrefutably been in a wild battle before, but Lisa was hatched in a comfortable home from a comfortable, pretty eggshell. Max honestly wasn't even sure her Budew knew any moves at all. 

Soon, Sammy made it over to the blunette girl who smiled and leaned over to pet his twitching ears. "Hey, there buddDDDDDYYYYY!" 

Another humorous moment that Max couldn't bring herself to smile at. Sammy had shocked her numerous times at the beginning of their partnership and the girl's yelp of pain reminded her of it. She almost wished it was her getting shocked instead. That she wasn't dragging her Pokemon into this. Sulking, she crept away from the tree with the girl's attention far, far away. 

"Bu! Bu!" 

They left the shadow of the building and into the courtyard where her fellow classmates were playing and training jovial Pokemon. They had nothing to worry about. They weren't a mere Pokemon battle away from murder. "Lisa, we need to find either Nathan or Blu, okay?" 

"Bu! Bu! Bu!" 

Blinking, Max glanced down at her Budew, confused. She didn't catch marine-colored wings or blond hair. "It's okay, sweetie. They're not..." 

"Bu!" 

"Out of my way, geek!" Because Max had not spotted a blond boy, she completely ignored the blonde _girl_ approaching them. Victoria's lips pursed, her dark eyes staring down at Lisa. "I bet that thing has been in its first stage for years now, huh?" 

Baffled, Max shook her head. "Uh, don't you own a Skitty? Like, a _proud_ owner of a first stage Pokemon like that?”

"She's a show-bred Skitty, Maxine." The blonde placed both hands on her hips as if she were about to go off on a lecture. "The ever-stone she's holding is the only thing preventing evolution." 

Lisa's little nudge against Max's side held the reins of hot annoyance bubbling up in her throat. Instead of rebutting, she sighed. "I don't have time for this... Have you seen N-Nathan?" 

"No, I haven't seen N-N-Nathan!" she mocked Max with a haughty cackle. "He wouldn't want to see your loser-ass anyway! What do you need from him?" 

_I need him to control his raging, murderous urges!_ she wanted to spit back. "I only want to... calm him down. He seemed very, uh, ex-explosive today." 

"He's always like that... People like you get off from bothering rich people, huh?" 

Her eyes widened. _If only you really knew who you were defending like this!_ "Are you fucking kidding me? He's one of the hydra heads to Team Prescott, Victoria... Maybe he _deserves_ a little roughing up!" 

"Maybe you deserve a little roughing up!" The blonde shot back, her shoulders pulled back and spine tall. "You have such a big mouth for the weak bitch you are!" 

"I..." Before she could think about it, Lisa sprung out of her bag and sputtered angry squeaks. " _W-We_ could take your dumb Skitty any day!" 

_Shit! Now's definitely not the time!_ There was no escaping a Trainer battle once it's started, Max remembered with nervous sweat. Victoria reached into her purse, her face scrunching up wickedly. 

"Yeah, right. As if I would use Princess to defeat my photography rival!" A blast of glittering light surrounded the edges of Max's gaze and out of it revealed a sleek, elegantly poised Pokemon. It was reminiscence of a lion. "Allow me to make an introduction because clearly a loser like you has no idea what you're up against!" 

Max wanted nothing more than to battle Victoria and wipe the arrogant, privileged smirk off of her face, but the Pokemon standing between them had the eyes of a blood moon and fur of a lightening cloud. Lisa was completely swallowed in its shadow, though the Pokemon didn't seem to notice. With half-lidded eyes, Victoria went on to pet her lion-Pokemon's mane. "His name is Vogue, my Luxray that I had bred to kick ass!" 

_Luxray_. She'd have to remember that. _Scary fucking Pokemon. Stay away!_

From seeing Nathan's Pokemon, she could tell Victoria did nothing close to what the boy did. The glossy, primed shine reflecting off of the Luxray's coat was beautiful... and healthy, unlike Nathan's team. Of course, Max had never seen Victoria's other Pokemon. _Maybe they're all just for "kicking ass", then._

"Now that that's out of the way", Victoria leaned in. "Ready to lose? Do you even know where the nearest Pokemon Center is?" She only waited half-second for a response. "I didn't think so." 

Vogue grumbled lowly and flicked his long tail at the hand the blonde placed on his ridged back. _He probably doesn't want her to ruin his hair... Brat!_

"L-Look, Victoria..." 

"Hm?" she cocked her head to one side and placed a finger on her chin, teasing. "You must know rejecting Trainer battles is looked down upon, right? Or am I going to have to tell the whole school that Maxine Caulfield backs out of Trainer battles?" 

How did Victoria know her full name? 

"I really don't have time for this!" she felt her chest straining. Besides the clock ticking on the minutes that blue-haired girl had to live, Max also felt her stomach twist and turn at the thought of Lisa battling this _titan_ of a Pokemon. She realized that "Vogue" and Victoria made a perfect pair right there and then. _Two things that will bane my existence from now on! “_ I... have to battle you later." 

"After all of that shit you just talked?" The Luxray inched closer and Max gasped, Nathan's Seviper flashing in the forefront of her mind. Pokemon attacking people. Pokemon had no problem attacking people if they were trained to. Was Victoria like that? _She's friends with Nathan!_ "Max? Fucking relax, what am I going to do besides spread stupid rumors...?" 

She couldn't stand the look in Vogue's eyes. He would obey the blonde's commands just like Seviper did. Max could hardly register the terrified squealing of her Budew as her hand reached up to release the emotion welling in her bones. It wasn't something she would have done until today, she realized dimly. This just felt right. 

"Budeeeeeeew! Ewwww! Ewwww!" Lisa's bud sprouted and nudged Max's leg harshly. Her eyes opened, though she hadn't realized they were closed. The Budew's squinted eyes stared blankly. 

"Lisa?" she mouthed distantly. Victoria was gone. Her beast was gone. "What the fuck just happened?" 

"Buuudew!" Lisa nudged her again, a tackling motion this time and Max's leg buckled. "Bu! Bu! Bu!" 

"A-Again!?" Max could only stare at her hands. It happened again. She had reversed time. It was the only explanation. _Unless I'm dreaming in a fucking coma right now or something!_ "H-How does this keep happening!?" 

Lisa's red and blue bud began to tremble with frustration. "Buuuuudew! Bu! Bu!" 

"R-Right... Right!" Max looked around the courtyard. As if on cue, Victoria's head of perfectly placed blonde hair came bobbing down the sidewalk. "Let's go before she sees us!" 

Max stumbled in the opposite direction, scooping up Lisa as she did. Her heart pounded with vigor as her fingers brushed against Lisa's soft, leafy skin. "Did...Did you know that would happen? Is that why you were being so bold?" 

Lisa stayed silent. Max already knew the answer, after all. 

"Okay... Nathan or Blu. I'm not at all chill but, we need to find them." Lisa now rumbled in agreement. "And... From this moment on, avoid Victoria entirely!" 

"Vivillllllllllllion!" A streak of blue rushed by in the corner of Max's gaze. It was Blu! Not only had her eyes landed on the beautiful bug-Pokemon, but on steely eyes and reddening, angry face. 

_Nathan_. 

"Buuuuuu! Buuudewww!" Lisa struggled away from Max's gripping arms. Her bud opening to release her fury, the Trainer guessed, but she'd have to hold the Budew back. She was thinking. The moment was fast but clicked in Max's mind like a camera button being pushed. Blu had made eye contact with Nathan, both of their faces screwing up in disgust.

How could she stop this? 

"Hey, bitch boy!" Max yelled as loud as her soft voice would let her. "I bet I-I... could beat you in a Pokemon battle!"   
  
Did she imagine smoke flaring from his nose and ears, or was it real? Nathan swung his head towards her, the embers of Hell were feeding inside his cool- colored glare. Teeth bared on his stiff lips. "What the FUCK did you just say to me? I don't have time for this shit. Two bitches are enough for me to deal with." 

_Oh, you have no idea!_

"Fight me if you're n-not scared!" Her blood had too much oxygen, not enough oxygen. Was she dying? Was Lisa dying? Was Sammy dying? Her eyes sparkled with tears ready to burst from her sockets like waterfalls. "Fight me!" 

Nathan's veins popped out from his hand as he threw a Pokeball in between them. "You're a fucking idiot for messing with me today of all days!" 

Max tried to gulp but there was no life in her airways, in her mouth, or inside of her. She was practically dead, only shivering and standing by pure luck. Lisa hopped down from her now weakened arms. 

"Buuuuuu!" Lisa shot her a look of courage. Did the little bit that lived inside of Max get transferred into the Budew? _I hope so! I really do hope so! I never would have made use of it._

"Killa!" 

The Charmelon from earlier was face to face with Max's _grass-type_ Pokemon. Its golden scales gleamed in the October sunlight as the flame crackled on its tail tip. _It's so beautiful... and so ugly at the same time._

"Flame Charge!" 

The Charmelon leap up into the air, fire surrounded its form, it's arms latched together, and it dived down to attack little Lisa's form. Max couldn't feel her body. She rushed to pick up Lisa, take the damage herself, protect the only thing that made life worth living... 

But a tug at her arm held her in place. 

"Bongo! _Use Bulldoze!_ " 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friendly reminder if you forgot, Skitty evolves into Delcatty with a moon stone!


	4. Chloe and the Hotheads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The blue-haired girl and Nathan get a redo of their battle. Max is able to help at first but soon it feels utterly hopeless. Is the girl bound to die? Could Max actually fight against a destiny that didn't belong to her?

The ground shook with the fury of the mysterious girl's Pokemon. She had protected Max, the realization was slow to come. _But... I'm supposed to be protecting_ you! _How can this be?_

Killa's tail of flames had all but died when it fell to the ground and absorbed Bongo's attack. For the second time, Max watched it instantly retreat into it's Pokeball on the blond boy's belt. He gritted his teeth, almost smiling. "There you are, whore."

"Hey, bitch boy." The girl nodded to Nathan and then to Max, her ocean gaze softening when their eyes met. "You can put your Budew away. I've got this."

The photographer only nodded back, speechless. Lisa was almost crushed by her arms, but the Pokemon made no complaints as she buried herself deeper into Max's stomach. The soft rumble of comfort from the Budew was the water droplet that broke the dam. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Was she happy? Was she relieved? Was she scared shitless? She couldn't tell past the hammering of her heart and blood coursing through her ears, but she let the Budew retreat into the Pokeball. "L-Lisa! I'll never put you in danger ever again!"

"Two bitches!" Nathan screeched. He threw another Pokemon onto the makeshift field that divided the girls from him. "I'll take you both down! Eat, Butcher! Eat!"

His Zangoose, Butcher, crawled up to the blue-haired girl's Pokemon and quickly reared up to scrape his twin claws together, sharpening the edges. Nathan's eyes twinkled for the first time, but it wasn't like a star. More like the sparks flying from metal. "Knock Off!"

"D-Don't let him take Bongo's berry off!" Max sputtered out behind the girl's shoulder who distractedly nodded. She remembered the details of their last battle like she's watched it million times before. She had in the past few hours, it repeated like a broken VHS tape in the back of her mind. "Use Fake Out!"

"Uh, okay then... Fake Out!"

Again, Bongo was able to flinch out a faster-looking Pokemon. Nathan visibly cringed at the damage his Zangoose took, though he didn't seem worried. "A priority move, whatever! Use Focus Blast!"

"Shit! Bongo come back!" Her muscles rippled in front of Max as she pointed above into the sky. "Blu! I need you!"

Max had been too busy with Lisa that she hadn't noticed Blu hovering right over their heads. The Vivillion flitted down quietly, squinting at Butcher with glassy eyes. Its Trainer pumped her fists. "Stun Spore!"

"Arrrgh! Coward!" Nathan spat. "Just use Knock Off again!"

"He'll lose his berry!" Max warned. "But Stun Spore is sure to hit!"

Just as Max said, Blu lost its green, bumpy berry but the Zangoose was trapped with static crackling around his form. The girl turned to look at Max, her eyes resembling an owl. "Wow, Max! How did you know Blu's ability? Did you guess that?"

She blinked back. "How... How do you know my name?"

"Hey! Pay attention!" Nathan clutched Butcher's Pokeball, briefly, Max wondered who he'd pull out next if Killa was already done for. "I want you to revel at the moment I fucking destroy you!"

"Oh God, no!" Edgar slithered out of the Pokeball. More tears streamed down Max's face. "He's gonna do something awful! Please, you have to take that one out! You have to or I'll do it myself!"

"Jesus Christ on a pogo stick", the girl's brows rose high on her forehead. "I'll believe you, weirdo... Because everything else you said was right..." She turned to her Vivillion. "Blu! Stun Spore, again!"

"Edgar... Like my father trained you for", his eyes darkened at the sound of Max's sobbing. "Teach these two a lesson in Pokemon battling!"

The Seviper arched forward, teeth drenched in sizzling fumes. "Poison Fang", she heard the girl whisper. Her eyes were soft and warm with confidence. "Doesn't matter. Blu won't miss with Compound Eyes!"

Max sniffled, her fingers desperately digging into the girl's shoulder. "You can leave right now. There's no shame in rejecting a Trainer battle!"

She snorted. "What? Of course there is. Besides..." Her attention was back on her Pokemon. "... Blu would never let me give up!"

The Vivillion fluttered its deadly pollen onto the battlefield, it clung onto the dark scales of the Seviper and a link of static zapped along its body. Max's heart fell into her stomach. It was still moving!

The girl only hummed indifferently. "Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. Blu! Let's switch out for Bongo!"

Bongo was back, it's whiskers twitching with determination. "Use Bulldoze!"

"Dragon Tail!"

Max hung onto the girl's arm as the ground shook once more with power. Then, she let go, horrified. Edgar's tail laced with purple flare as it struck Bongo's pudgy side. "Geez! What a fucking hit!"

"Don't worry about it", she shook her head grimly. To Max's surprise, Bongo was zapped back into its Pokeball, uncalled for and seemingly against its will. The girl noticed Max's confusion. "Oh, uh, Dragon Tail forces Pokemon to switch out and then pulls a random one in..." A Pokemon with two beating wings shrieked into the air. "... lucky for us, it was Syd!"

Nathan didn't seem amused. "Edgar, use Poison Fang! Get that thing out of the way!"

"Brave Bird! You know what to do!"

Max's eyes were practically glued to the scene in front of her, but her mind pulled her to another direction. _Sammy!_ She didn't want to distract the girl, but... "Uh, hey", she started quietly. "Have you seen a cute, little Pachirisu anywhere?"

"Pachirisu?" she rolled her pretty eyes. "Yes, but I never want to see one ever again! Those fuckers are mean!"

"Uh, well..." the photographer shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. "That 'fucker' would be one of my teammates..."

"Back of the school", she smiled back. "I made him busy with some oran berries and that was the end of that."

"I hope he didn't cause you much trouble."

"He did! Thanks for the hope, though."

But Maxine couldn't feel bad for the girl at that moment. Instead, she felt a smile pushing against her lips, a bubbly feeling rising in her throat, and a flash of warmth on her cheek. She wanted to be friends. She wanted a friendship with someone who was supposed to be dead very, very soon. All the photographer could do was choke on her dry chuckling.

Nathan's voice pulled Max back into the moment. "Sludge Bomb!'

The girl was quick to shoot back. "Quick Attack!"

In a blur, "Syd" hit first, it's huge beating wings sure to smash right into the Seviper's head. The snake-Pokemon was also able to attack, sludge dripping from its maw and onto the battlefield in a firey, gross missile. Max gagged, unprepared for the painful squelch that was squeezed out of Syd's beak.

Syd's Trainer groaned, her Pokeball ready to bring him back. "That's enough!"

"Starrraaaa!" The Pokemon fought against the beam of light trying to pull it back. Strong wings beat on the air. Was the Pokemon stronger than the Pokeball? "Ravvviaaa!"

"Fuck", the girl said in a hushed tone. Quickly, her face screwed up in courage. "Alright then! Quick attack again!"

"Starrrrrr!" Again, Syd hit the Seviper. It floated in the air squawking with cockiness.

"Keep using Sludge Bomb until it's fucking done!" Nathan's smile sharpened into a smirk. "Can't train a Pokemon, blue-ass?"

"Can't win a battle, Princess Prescott?" Her chest was puffed out, Max remembered when she did it the first time that day, but her hand was tight on Syd's Pokeball. The blue-haired girl glanced towards Max, lowering her voice. "Have you got any other advice, weirdo? I could use it right about now."

"Uh... No", the photographer's shoulders sagged. Her lips trembled as she looked away from the girl. _I was only concerned about keeping you alive! I never imagined you getting this far..._ "I didn't... see any of this happening."

"It's okay then", the girl simpered. "I'll have to use good ole' intuition! Syd! Brave Bird! Keep using it until Nathan stops being a _pussy!_ "

"It'll never hit, then", he growled. But Max watched Syd and the Seviper clashing and clashing and clashing, their rage seemed to know no limits. Their eyes were laced in desperation and frustration. It was too much. Max's stomach lurched as Syd hit Seviper hard on its skull. Was that a critical hit? Nathan's face fell. "Edgar, get up! Get up and fight! You're not allowed to be beaten by half-evolved Staraptors! You're a Prescott Pokemon! ACT LIKE IT!"

"Aw! That sounds like something you're daddy told you when you were a kid, huh?" The girl shook her head, amused. "Okay, Syd! Let's end this! Quick Attack, just to be safe!"

"Stttttaaaaaa!" it cried and hit the Seviper one last time. Max blinked. Was that it? Was it over? Syd soared above the girl's head and landed by her feet, pride glittering in its intense gaze.

"Great fucking job, Syd! Now c'mon seriously! Get in here, you earned your rest!" Finally, the bird-Pokemon agreed and allowed itself to be transported into the ball. Max watched it sit on the girl's belt, its eyes closed in contentment. "Even a Staravia can be Nathan Prescott! This inspired you somehow, didn't it?"

Max blinked up, realizing that the girl was talking to her. She offered a smile. "Yes... Yes it did."

"Okay, great... stop crying now, alright? It really doesn't suit you." The girl grinned back, her thumbs playing with the edges of her Pokeball ball belt. Max finally noticed the toned stomach she had underneath a cropped shirt. "I'm Chloe, by the way."

Chloe! "Of fucking course!" Max swore her jaw dropped to the floor. "Oh! You dyed your hair!"

"And got a few tattoos", Chloe Price flexed her throwing arm proudly, not phased by Max's outburst. They made eye contact for a heartbeat, the silence comfortable against the chaos that took place moments before. Chloe bit her bottom lip softly. "I... I missed you, Max."

"Uh, hey carpet munchers?" a scratchy voice sounded from a looming shadow. "No one said we were done yet!" 

A gigantic Pokemon leaned forward over the girls. Heavy, magenta petals hung low on its wide tree trunk and huge back, its breath was slow and thick with a poisonous sting and its legs seemed to be crushed under the rest of its weight. The green of the Pokemon's skin wasn't of leaves or nature, just dark, painful sickness. Max felt her soul starting to slip away from her. She didn't want to see a battle with a Pokemon this _fucked up._

"Oh... shit", Max squeaked painfully. "That's Venusaur, right?" 

"Right", Chloe agreed dimly. "Blu! We need you again!" 

Somehow, Max kept misplacing the Vivillion who always seemed to be hovering just above. Blu floated down right away, its eyes glistening with hatred. Chloe guided it in a steady, robust voice. "First you need to use Quiver Dance and then Signal Beam!" 

"Not Stun Spore, dumbass?" the boy stuck out his tongue, sardonically. "Brutus! _Outrage!_ " 

Vivillion was able to move first, it's fast wings made for an easy, graceful movement that Max found herself entranced with. Then, it prepared to attack, a ball of energy gathering between its buggy little legs. Brutus' eyes flared up with anguish and fury as power collected in its back legs. Max stared, disgusted. Nathan was going to make it slam itself into the tiny Vivillion? 

_Why does anyone Pokemon battle at all?_

The two Pokemon let out a sound, crying almost, but it wasn't sad, Max noted. They were only against each other because their Trainers were against each other. _Maybe Pokemon just need a better reason to battle, if that's really what they want._

Behind her was a squeak, then a snort. She couldn't look away now. She placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Win this! For us!" 

Chloe's smile was almost as big as the Venusaur. "Okay! For us and our reunition! Blu, use Signal Beam now!" 

Nathan yelled back. "You heard me! Use Outrage!" 

The Pokemon dashed towards each other, power crackling in the air, but a wall of flame cut through keeping them from touching each other without burning. Max swung her head to look back at the source. "Mr. Burns?" 

The Pignite snorted, his stubby legs seemed heavy as he ran over to the teenagers and the Pokemon. His leather face was squished in diplomatic anger that he irrefutably learned from his Trainer, the principal. "PPPiiiiigggniite!" 

"Oh, fuck!" 

"Oh, shit!" 

Both Nathan and Chloe hissed in fear and summoned their Pokemon back into their Pokeballs. Max glanced at her childhood friend who had turned her back on them. "Chloe wait! Do you still live around here?" 

"You have my number, Caulfield!" The blunette's eyes flickered around, nervously. "I'll come back to you, okay? Don't let that fucking snitch tell Wells or Madsen that I was here!" 

"Okay!" she looked back to Nathan who had already fled the scene, his expensive-looking running shoes took him far, far away. "I'll just make sure Prescott gets in trouble!" 

"No way, Max!" Chloe hurriedly patted the photographer on the small of her back, teasingly. "If you tell on one of us, you tell on all of us. Don't get in trouble too!" 

"But..." 

"Hey, we'll no doubt fight Nathan again!" The blunette grinned. "And fucking win for real!" 

"Alright", Max smiled. Her heart which had finally slowed down felt achy as she watched Chloe Price disappear behind the school building. The school building. _Sammy! I have to find him!_

"Paccccchhiii!" 

Next to Mr. Burns was a Pachirisu with blue berry juice smeared on his cheek pouches. Max giggled. "Sammy! You were the one that brought him over here?" 

"Chi-chi!" Sammy scampered up Max's clothes and placed himself onto her neck comfortably. She patted his head gratefully and together they watched Mr. Burns waddling back to the school building, probably to try and report what he saw. 

"I just hope Principal Wells doesn't have the same relationship me and you have with that Pignite", Max let the Pachirisu nuzzle her face, not minding the little electric buzz that came with it. She'd never mind again, she was sure. Her face was still sticky with tears, but she ignored it enjoying the warmth of Sammy's fur on her skin. "I never want you to leave on your own again, Sam. I'm so sorry we got into this mess, but..." Max's smile slowly widened as reality settled in. She was sure it was real now. "We just saved her." 

_And Chloe saved me, too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, Chloe and Max are gayyyyyyy lmao I'm having a lot of fun with this! So, far I'm trying not to stray too far from the canon but I don't want to be boring with a story everyone already knows, so that's why I had them meet out of the school and for Chloe to save Max in a different way. I'm aiming for the same elements, different motivations.


	5. Three Dog Heads and a Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On her way to finally relax with her friends and Pokemon, Max encounters Victoria for a second time that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References to Cerberus, guardian of the Underworld, is heavy in this chapter. I can’t imagine that if you’re reading this you don’t know who that is, but just in case, I put this here: Cerberus. The three-headed dog-creature that Max compares the trio to is Cerberus.

Max felt as light as a feather in the autumn breeze. Sammy's tail was soft on her neck and Lisa rattled gently on her belt. They were okay now. _I can relax._

Admittedly, her body now felt empty without the hard beating of blood pulsing through her veins. _That was certainly more exciting than I could've hoped for... I can't believe that it was Chloe! She died but also didn't. Maybe this was supposed to happen. Some sick lapse of the universe._

The courtyard fell silent. Training Pokemon was actually forbidden on school grounds, students did it anyway, of course, but that's probably why their Pokemon were being summoned back into their capsules as Mr. Burns appeared outside. Being caught by Principal Wells was never a concern of hers... Not until now. Chloe wanted to battle Nathan again. _And_ s _o do I. He needs someone to put him in his place!_

But how? She stared down at the ground breathing rigidly. Nathan had shown off his horde, not all of it, she assumed, because he was a Prescott after all. He was bound to have a full team of six. The Pokemon all shared the same firey gazes of fear and hatred. Nathan Prescott had power. It was too much for a kid like that. 

She didn't want to see anyone hurt, but the mental images of Pokemon squealing in agony had cut through the desire. None of those Pokemon were Nathan's. 

Sammy had pulled her out of her thoughts with a loving nudge to her cheek. "Pacchhhiii?" 

"Uh- I'm okay..." she blurted. "Let's go to the dorms... I'm already exhausted and school only let out an hour ago!" 

The Pachirisu chirped with understanding. _He seems to really enjoy this small victory of ours._ Now that she thought about it, this was their _first_ victory as a team. They had saved her old best friend _and_ stood up to Nathan! Max hummed thoughtfully. "Today was a good day... I guess." 

With Mr. Burns long gone from the courtyard, students had resumed playing with Pokemon. Max had passed by them, wondering if any had heard the commotion of Chloe and Nathan on the opposite side of the building, but none seemed to hold any concerns at all. _Just kids being kids... Like I should be. Like Chloe should be._

But they weren't now. Chloe was a Pokemon Trainer. A _real_ Pokemon Trainer!

Max recalled the skill that laced the bluenette's voice as she commanded her Pokemon to a victory. She couldn't help the warmth flooding her chest. _I was in contact with a real Pokemon Trainer. She seemed real enough for those cool Pokemon and this crazy-ass day._

Her phone buzzed with a notification. Warren and Kate wanted to hang out. 

**Maybe we can let our Pokemon battle too!!!** Warren had written. The thought made Max sick, but she knew better. None of her friends at Blackwell knew the first thing about Pokemon battling, Chloe and Nathan had proven that with her own battle styles. 

**Sure thing!!!** She texted back. **Maybe we'll evolve one of our Pokemon today too!!!**

It was a running joke between the three of them. One day their Pokemon would magically evolve without battling or training. _That is a nice thought, but evolution just means that the 'Mons had to go through growing pains. There's no reason for Lisa and Sammy to have to go through that._

As a "Pokemon Expert" (Warren dubbed himself and Max played along), he told her that Pachirisu had no second stage, which was fine by the photographer. No one would ever know by a first glance that Max was no Trainer. Lisa, however, had two more stages. _Another reason I have to keep her out of this battling bullshit. She doesn't have to stay innocent, just cute, and small... Is that selfish of me?_

Her dorm building was everything that she didn't have back home with her parents. In the front was a small playground and inside there was a grooming station for the furrier types of Pokemon, she often made use of both Pokemon centered activities. Pokemon playgrounds and grooming back home were much too expensive, sad as it was. Blackwell was considered prestigious, for the Pokemon and students alike. The photographer was able to have Lisa and Sammy sleep at the end of her bed in her _own_ room. Normally, her parents would not allow her to do such things because it might be "dangerous", but Max found that it simply wasn't. Even if it was, she'd probably do it anyway. _Sorry, Mom! Sorry, Dad!_

When Max arrived at her dorm there were a few Pokemon playing in the front yard. It was a girl's only house, but Logan and Zachary were using the playground for their rather large Pokemon... Sammy's tail flicked nervously, as she expected him to. He wasn't fond of playing with strangers. Max didn't recognize any of them except for a little lion Pokemon that looked strikingly similar to Victoria's Luxray. Logan's Pokemon was reminiscent of a horse, but it was on fire. 

She almost had the audacity to go up to the boys and ask about his Pokemon, but something else had taken up the thoughts swirling around in her mind. Technically, she should not have recognized Zachary's Pokemon because Victoria _never_ introduced her to "Vogue". 

_Time was reversed. But I'm still here and I remember everything._

Why? 

Why should she able to retain information that was not meant for her to know? The information that was only available in a timeline that never played out? 

_Maybe I'm not the only one seeing things,_ she decided with a bit down on her lip. _Maybe this is still a dream and I'm not awake._

But there was no denying what had happened today. There was no denying Chloe's life or Nathan's destructive forces. There was no denying that her own Pokemon were in on this with her. _They've seemed to accept it. Why can't I?_

So, Max avoided the boys, though Zachary seemed to glance at her with a friendly smile. Sammy made a low chattering noise. A warning? Max quickly realized why. Instead of two boys, Max was faced with three girls each of her faces screwed in malice and slight amusement. They were blocking the staircase. 

"Hello, Maxine", Victoria barked first, the main head of a folklore dog-creature Max had once heard about in a book. The blonde's dark eyes seemed to be lacking their usually gloating shine. "What trouble have you been causing today?" 

"T-Trouble?" _Says you! Flirting with our grown-ass teacher and challenging me to a Pokemon battle all in the same day!_ "What do you..." 

"Between cutting class and running away from me today..." the blonde's lips curled into a smirk as Max's face fell. That's right. She _had_ done all of that, but it was hardly important at the time. "I can't help but be a little curious as to what is going on with you today." 

Flanking Victoria, the two other dog-heads, Courtney and Taylor, chuffed with laughter. It hadn't flown over her head that the blonde was being sardonic, but Max could only stand teasing from _one_ mega-bitch. Not three and not all at once. She decided to return the attitude. "Aww. You care?" She found herself sneering for a moment even with Sammy's comforting, electric buzz drifting on her skin. "Cute." 

"Oooh! We're feeling bold today, aren't we?" There it was. The spark was back in her glare, reflecting it's light back to Max and Sammy. "You _are_ awfully cute, saying that to me like you have the team to back it up." 

This gave Victoria's two other "heads" something more to chew on as they howled with joy. To anyone else, it would just be two girls laughing at a joke, Max was aware. After seeing Victoria's Luxray and not knowing what else she had in her purse, it couldn't be helped that she was comparing these Vortex girls to Nathan. He was a monster commanding other monsters. There was no telling who had what, the Training a Pokemon had, the type of person Victoria and her "heads" were...

Not unless Max challenged her to a Pokemon battle. 

Max shook her head as if shaking the thought away. _No fucking way can I do that. I don't have Pokemon like Nathan's._

Victoria stood up now. Max was silent far too long. "I can't stand this act that you put on. Too shy and wholesome for battling, too anxious and weak for training Pokemon. Everyone goes along with this bullshit, but I _don't_." She circled around her growling in her ears. Once, they bumped shoulders, twice Victoria simply walked into her. "You're not _too good_ for anything, Max. It's time you realize that." 

Finally, the blonde sat down again, her legs crossed politely but eyes gleaming with carnivorous pride. "Want to dispute any of that? I'll take it as a challenge if you do..." She leaned forward watching Max carefully. The obvious solution was to be quiet. Let Victoria win this round. "Yeah. I didn't think so..." 

"H-Hey, no", Max yipped. Sammy's little nails clutched her skin as he chittered happily. "I accept your challenge." 

Blinking away her surprise, Victoria was nudged up by Courtney and Taylor who babbled on with encouragement. None of it processed in Max's ears as she reached for Lisa's Pokeball. Sweat collected on the smooth metal of the capsule as the Budew sprung out, eyes upturned with amusement at the blonde standing above her. 

"Buuuuuuu!" Lisa looked back at Max, her bud sprouting it's red and blue petals. A good sign. 

_Gosh. What am I doing?_

"Kind of strange that you'd accept so easily." The blonde raised a chary eyebrow at the Budew but reached into her purse anyway. The girls behind her barked with more mirth than before. "You're lucky I'm feeling nice today." 

In a sprinkle of light, Princess pranced around the makeshift battlefield with practiced poise. Max was given a rather exasperated tail wiggle from the cat-like creature. _Is that the Skitty version of 'fuck you'? It's kind of cute..._

Sammy squeaked dryly while the gears of Max's brain began to turn. Victoria was "feeling nice" today and brought out Princess rather than Vogue. Max considered that Skitty and Budew were about the same weight and height. Then, she figured it out. 

Victoria didn't want to seem petty in front of her friends. _Makes about as much sense as everything else today! And me accepting this battle..._

Finally, something slipped out of Taylor's maw that Max could comprehend. "Yeah, Princess! Show her what you're made of! C'mon Victoria!" 

Slowly, Max noticed the edges of the blonde's lips twitching. Then even more began to click. They looked up to their main "head". Like Pokemon strung together on a belt. Victoria had to be modest, for them. _Aw. That's kind of cute, too. It's a damn shame I'm about to destroy her, though._

Max had a plan. 

"Ready, Maxine?" The blonde put a hand on her hip, her gaze clouded with calculations. "We don't have all day for this." 

_You don't. I do!_

"Yeah, uh, Lisa!" Her mouth hung open for a moment. "Use... Anything at all!" 

The trio all giggled at this. Max probably would've laughed along if she were in their shoes. 

"Let's start this off with Double Team!" Victoria seemed to stand taller as she directed the Skitty forward. "Leave no space for that Budew to run!" 

Max's brow furrowed. Why would she run? But projections wavered in a tight circle around Lisa and solidified. Skitty! Lots of them! _They're not all real. Where's the real one?_

Lisa hopped up into the air, her bud flowering slowly. Max inched forward, her gaze intense. Soft, gentle powder floated from Lisa's petals, a yellow glow dusting the pollen. Her heartbeat quickened. "Stun Spore! That's Stun Spore!" 

"You're way too enthusiastic, Maxine", the blonde glowered. "Do you even know that it hit or not?" She smirked. Skitty's projections hadn't so much as blinked at Lisa's move. "By the looks of it..." 

Max hummed. When Chloe had asked Blu to Stun Spore, it only missed once. The blunette had said something about it... _Compound Eyes. It's probably not an ability that Budew can have, but it makes Stun Spore more accurate._ She sighed with the realization. "Yeah. I guess it wouldn't be such an easy move to hit, huh?" 

"No", Victoria simply mouthed. The banal expression she wore had shifted at her friend's low snickering. She seemed to remember herself. "Especially not with Double Team! You don't know anything about Pokemon, do you?" 

"No. But that's why I'm trying you out first." 

"Trying me out", her face screwed up. She _thought_ she understood what Max meant by that. "You're not going to win this, Maxine. It's goddamn sad that you're so cocky like this." 

"Hey", she shrugged. "You gonna do something about me or what?" 

"Eat her out, Tori!" Courtney cheered on but shrunk away at Taylor's hard smack to her shoulder as she explained "that doesn't mean what you think it means". The girl only laughed harder at that. "Sorry! I mean just win already!" 

Victoria's face flushed with color as Princess flickered her tail at them. With a hand on her face, she muttered lowly, "Idiots." 

"Let me just take you out of this misery", Max frowned forcefully. She didn't want to appear friendly to these girls, no matter the circumstance. After all, Victoria still had a Luxray tucked away on her side and there was no telling what she could do with it. Not to mention that Max had not an inkling of what else the blonde carried around in that purse. "Lisa! Use something else!" 

"Buuuuuuu!" Power gathered in the Budew's center and the moment Max blinked, a flurry of star-shaped particles burst straight towards one of the Skitty projections. The pink-Pokemon backed away, hurt. It was the _real_ one! "Ewwww!" 

Victoria scowled. "Swift is such a gimmicky move! Ignoring accuracy is actually way smarter than I expected from you, Max. That won't matter too much in a few more moves. Use Fake Tears next!" 

"Skkkkiiiii!" The Skitty bounded to Lisa, not noticing the scuff marks the plant-Pokemon left on her shiny pink coat. Max watched, her jaw progressively dropping at the move. Cute ears had flattened on her head, her tail dragged on the ground, and her gaze watered. Princess was crying, and crying _very_ hard. 

"What..." Max looked down at the pathetic wallowing of Princess with a hollowness seeping in her chest. _Fake Tears. But what's the point?_ "What kind of a dumb move was that?" 

Victoria only crossed her arms over her chest, a satisfied smile grazing her lips. "No move is a dumb move. Not unless it's _your_ Pokemon... Sing, Princess!" 

The words formed before Max's brain could catch up. "Use something else, if you can!" 

Together, the Skitty and Budew conjured their power. The cat-Pokemon had tilted its head to the side as a sweet song left her mouth. Lisa had released more pollen, but it wasn't the same color that would cause paralysis. It reminded Max more of cotton. Now, they were still. 

Did anything happen at all? 

In the background, Courtney murmured. "This is kind of boring to watch." 

"Shh! She's probably setting up something right now." 

Max's jaw clenched. "Setting up" meant something she didn't quite understand yet. Lisa turned back slowly, waiting for a command. "Uh", she wasn't going to risk another meaningless move. "Use Swift!" 

"Uh, uh, uh!" The blonde's voice rose an octave, teasingly. Max lifted her gaze, confused. It's not like Skitty had done anything either, but Victoria pointed to Lisa anyway. "You know what Sing does, don't you?" 

Right in the center of the battlefield, Lisa was fast asleep. Her bud was tightly shut and slumped over as if she were simply at the end of Max's bed at night. The clueless Trainer's cheeks grew hot. "You've got to be kidding me..." She mostly spoke to herself. "Is this shit even legal?" 

Victoria only shook her head, frowning. "Gosh, you're such a loser. I almost feel bad about this but... C'mon, Princess let's finish this. Use Dream Eater!" 

"Skiiiiiii", she squeaked as her jaws opened up again. Max could only bite her bottom lip as she studied the puff of sparkling matter that left the Budew's forehead. She was eating Lisa's dreams. _Does that hurt?_ "Skkkitty!" 

Apparently, it did. Max flinched as Lisa was zapped back into her Pokeball without waking up and without the button pressed. She fainted. The Trainer's body suddenly felt heavy with grief. _It's not over yet, Lisa. Don't worry!_

Returning back to her goons, Victoria was greeted with a few hardy barks of praise. She didn't seem to soak it up as much as Princess had, her tail swinging in the air like a pinwheel in the wind. "Skkkiiiii!" 

"Great job, Princess", the blonde scooped the Skitty up and swaddled her in a warm embrace. Not that she had to. Princess was perfectly healthy. Turning back to Max, she only seemed miffed. "Get some training done, dumbass. That was one of the worst battles I've ever had the displeasure of partaking in." The Skitty purred at the gentle finger-tickling at her soft belly fur. "But at least you've given my Pokemon a decent toy to play with for a while, right?" 

"Right", Max breathed. "Can I ask you something, Victoria?" 

The blonde's lips pursed. "As you were." 

"Uh... I..." She gazed down coyly. Purposefully. "H-How did you get so good at battling?" She rubbed her arm for good measure. "I wasn't expecting to lose s-so bad..." 

But, she did. 

Sammy's warm body was still for so long that Max almost forgot that he was watching the whole time, but his chittering of disapproval pierced the air. "Paaachhhhiii!" 

She rested a palm on his head, calming him for a heartbeat so that Victoria had a chance to stare, stupefied. The blonde frowned. Was that pink dusting her cheeks? 

"No need to be bashful", Max shrugged, struggling to keep Sammy from raging. "I... _really_ admire you and your Pokemon..." 

"God, Maxine." Victoria ran her fingers through her hair... stressed out? Courtney and Taylor flanked her sides in their usual formation, their faces twisted with humor. Their blonde leader could only manage a puff of annoyance before continuing with an exaggerated shrug. "I... had a tutor growing up, okay? I studied and got my ass kicked a few times. Part of learning is losing. It's not something you can avoid and... the only way to get better is to learn from this loss." Max blinked back at her dark eyes. She made sure to keep any emotion from seeping on her features. "Uh... yeah. Maybe you'll get better someday." 

" _Maybe_ ", Taylor added through squinted eyes. "She means that, like, _very_ scarcely." 

"Very, very scarcely", Courtney chipped in, a proud smile spread on her face as her two other heads sighed. "What? I'm helping!" 

"That is cool..." Max did her best to sound innocent. Was she? _Is this right?_ "What was the strategy that you used? The, uh, set up?" 

"Pfft", Taylor chuckled and glanced at her fellow blonde. "What a fucking plebian! Do you believe this shit right now?" 

"No", she replied dryly. "No, I don't." 

Sweat prickled on Max's skin as Sammy attempted to calm himself on her shoulders. He couldn't possibly know what was racing through her head. She looked up at the taller girl with guilt. Could Victoria see right through her? 

Before Max could plead her case, Victoria hummed defeated. Somehow. The color cast on her face before wasn't enough to be considered blushing, but now... _How can anyone mistake_ that? _Who knew you could be so shy?_ The blonde gazed towards something in the distance as she explained. "Well, I tried to Double Team you just so I could see what, uh, 'Lisa' had. Then Fake Tears lowers special defense, which is why it didn't survive Dream Eater when I put it to sleep..." She glanced at Max, frowning. "Sorry, by the way. I had no idea you were... _that_ inexperienced of a Trainer." 

"Yeah, no. It's cool", Max nodded towards all three of her rivals, smirking as warmth flooded her chest. Sammy's buzzing energy came to life as he finally seemed to understand what was going on. " _I'm_ sorry that I'm totally going to use that information against you later. Or is it earlier? I don't know." 

A look of blank confusion got passed around between the trio. Courtney was the first to shake her head. "You're so weird, Max!" 

She smiled back. Sammy let out a long squeak of cheeriness as she rose her hand to the sky. Power collected in the palm of her hand and, in slow motion, the world was pulled back farther and farther into space. 

"You have no fucking idea." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stupid!Courtney is funny as Hell. Don't @ me. 
> 
> Here's a sheet to keep up with the Main Pokemon introduced so far: 
> 
> Max- Budew (Lisa), Pachirisu (Sammy)  
> Chloe- Marine!Vivillion (Blu), Purugly (Bongo), Staravia (Syd)  
> Nathan- Zangoose (Butcher), Shiny!Charmelon (Killa), Seviper (Edgar), Venusaur (Brutus)  
> Victoria- Skitty (Princess), Luxray (Vogue) 
> 
> Runner ups/B-Teams: 
> 
> Mark Jefferson- Shiny!Smeargle (Printer)  
> Principal Wells- Pignite (Mr.Burns)


End file.
